Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-08-12
Caressed by a Tiger.

From the Indian Mirror.
/ | had left camp at an early hour in
the morning to fish. While l carried
my rifle with me, l had no intention
of going out-of my way to find game.
On the previous afternoon | had OBJ
served what seemed to be capital
fishing spot in a bend of the river,
and it was to this place l fastened as
| left camp. Some of the native ser.
wants were astir and saw me set out,
but l did net want their services. 1t
was pretty thick jungle between the
camp and the bend, but at the bend
there was a clear spot an acre in ex-
tent, with heavy forest growth and
q ledge Of rocks for background AS
l took look around before sitting
down on the bank to my sport | re-
marked that it was good spot for wild
beasts, but as there was nothing NOV
ing l went right to work with my
fishing tackle. Catching q frog for
bait, l flung in the hook, and it
wasn't FIVE minutes before l was
meeting with such luck that all
thoughts of tigers, snakes and hyenas s
were driven out of my mind.
/ had landed half a dozen good
sized fish, and was just then playing
a larger one, when a slight noise
startled me, and l looked around to
see such sight as has seldom come
to the eyes of sportsman A full
grown tiger was within five feet of
me, playing with one ofthe fish. 1t
was the last fish pulled out, and in
its dying agonies it was jumping
about on the grass. Everytime it
moved the tiger would reach out q
paw in playful way, and once or
twice he struck hard enough to move
the fish three or four feet. 1 tell you
] was badly frightened man, and
all | could do was to sit there with
mouth and eyes open. The tiger had
crept down from the bluffs, and why
he hadn't attacked me was a mystery
He went from fish to fish, turning
them over with his paw, and time
and again brushing me with his tail
as be moved about. My rife was
ten feet away, leaning against bush,
and l might have been idiot enough
to try to reach it but for a warning.
My personal servant had followed
me, to see what luck | had. He
came into the neighborhood while the
tiger was playing with the fish, and
softly climbing tree, he uttered the
call of bird that attracted my atten-
ton, and then sang out:
"Do nothing to provoke the tiger,
master. He is a hilo,Ueele and if you
do not cross him he will 60 away"
He meant that the spirit of a good
native had been transformed and it
was clearly the common sense way
to follow bis advice AS the beast
gave me no attention l turned to the
fish tugging at my line and landed
him. He was of good size and full
of vitality and the the tiger waited
in playful way until | removed the
hook and threw the fish on The grass
Then he sprang for it as kitten
would for ball of yarn and he play
ed with it in the same way. 1t was
laughable, in spite of the circumstan-
ces, to witness his actions. He
would run around in circles, as you
have seen q young dog do, sometimes
almost leaping over me, aud then
again he would become the cat creep
softly forward to pounce upon one OF
the fish. Each ss caught was flung
to him and it was full half hour be.
fore be grew tired of the sport l
expected he would turn to me sooner
or later, but the native saw
the change first and called:
Master, the hilo,Ueele is going to
play with you! Be as clay in his
power"
The tiger suddenly left the last
fish landed and came stalking up to
me, purring like cat and acting
very playful, His first move was to
worm his head under my left arm,
and am telling you the solemn truth
when l say that smoothed down
his fur as if he had been favorite
dog. l had on big straw hat, and
this he got hold Of in his teeth, and
played with for ten minutes, or until
he bad torn it all to pieces. l had
no more bait to fish with, and drew
in the line, and sat there waiting for
the tigers next move. When he had
finished tie hat, he came over and
rubbed agaist me, and purred in o
pleased way, and l rubbed him with
my hand from nose to tail. l
gradually got over my scare, but yet
very anxious to know how the affair
would end The sun was getting
well up and very hot, and the beast
would son be seeking his lair. In
about thirty minutes from the time
he appeared the tiger began to show
change of demeanor He acted
nervous and uneasy, and the hair on
back stood up at intervals. l judged
that he had got the scent of my SER
want, and such proved to be the case.
| dared not rise to my feet, but l
made up my mind that if the tiger
attacked me / should make spring
off the bank into the river. 1t was
infested with crocodiles, but there
was not much choice between being
eaten by beast or saurian. Once the
tiger glared at me and growled, but
next moment whined as if afraid, and
edged up toward me as if for protec-
tion. The servant had been keeping
a watchful eye on my strange play
mate, and he now believed the time
had come for decisive action. He
therefore fired his pistol aud shouted
at the top of his voice. The effect
was immediate. The beast dropped
his tail, uttered q long-drawn whine,
and with sort of farewell glance at
me he bolted for the forest and dis
appeared.
kkCnn NHnun ~